Werrington primary school might have received last ever letter from Queen's royal household in Balmoral

A teacher from a Werrington primary school has spoken of her shock at receiving a letter from the royal household the morning after news broke of Queen Elizabeth II’s death.

Laura Currie, 39, said she felt "teary-eyed” soon after arriving for work at William Law CE Primary School on 9 September.

“I went into school on the morning we heard the news that she had died and the headteacher, Mr Epton-Smith, was standing there with a letter.

“I think he was reluctant to hand it over due to the news. It certainly brought a tear to my eye.”

The letter, which was written by one of the late Queen’s ladies-in-waiting, was sent to thank Miss Currie and her year one class for a collection of Platinum Jubilee cards they had made and sent to Buckingham Palace.

“That morning there was an assembly about The Queen and Mr Epton-Smith shared the letter with the whole school. I was so proud.”

Laura, who is now a year three teacher, detailed the special letter’s journey.

“It was written around the 29 August but wasn’t posted until the 31 August.

"Obviously, with the bank holiday, and the postal strike, it took a little bit of time [to arrive]”.

Miss Currie speculated that the letter her class received is perhaps one of the last sent by the royal household during the Elizabethan era.

“I posted our cards on one of my day’s off on the 7 June. I sent them to Buckingham Palace but the letter that came back was from Balmoral. So our cards had obviously been sent up to where The Queen was residing at the time.

“It really does show that she was doing her duty right up until her death”.

Like so many others, Miss Currie felt compelled to travel somewhere appropriate to pay her respects during the official period of mourning.

“I managed to get to Sandringham on 13 September and went to look at the flowers”, she recalled. “It was amazing. The smell from the flowers was just ‘wow.’”

This isn’t the first time Laura has written to the royal household.

As a teenager, she had to turn down a job offer as a warden at Windsor Castle as she was unable to find affordable accommodation in or near the affluent royal borough.

“I had to write a letter to Her Majesty, turning down the job. It was a very big regret of mine”.

Laura noted that, on that occasion, she did not receive a reply.